What do systematic reviews say?

Fluoride-containing dental care products (mainly fluoride toothpaste; one study also included fluoride varnish) vs Dietary fluoride sources (drinking water, beverages, food)

Fluoride-containing dental care products (mainly toothpaste) contributed on average 38% (SD 27%) of total daily fluoride intake, regardless of tap-water fluoride level or age (ungraded; descriptive synthesis, no meta-analysis).

• Fluoride Intake Through Dental Care Products: A Systematic Review. 2022 All outcomes

  Habitual daily intake · Multiple countries (28 studies; ~43% conducted in Brazil); community/general-population settings
  Mean contribution to TDFI (%) 38
  28 studies
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Caries in children with and without orofacial clefting: A systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  CL/P vs no CL/P; Table 4 (15 groups/13 studies)
  Mean dmft (SD) CL/P 3.2 (SD 2.22) vs no CL/P 2.5 (SD 1.53)
  13 studies
  GRADE not reported

Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) vs Monotherapy or dual antiretroviral therapy

No significant difference in gingivitis between ART regimens (very low certainty).

• Impact of Antiretroviral Therapy on Oral Health among Children Living with HIV: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  Hospitals and AIDS outpatient centres in India, Brazil, and several Asian countries
  No significant difference in gingivitis between CLWH on cART and those on monotherapy or dual therapy (no numeric estimate reported in the text); 2 study(ies).
  2 studies
  Very low

Subperiosteal prepared (SPP) wound closure after tooth extraction vs Epiperiosteal prepared (EPP) wound closure after tooth extraction

Subperiosteal prepared (SPP) wound closure after tooth extraction showed no clear difference in MRONJ after tooth extraction (incidence proportion) compared with epiperiosteal prepared (EPP) wound closure after tooth extraction (low certainty).

• Interventions for managing medication‐related osteonecrosis of the jaw 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 months
  RR 0.09 [0.00, 1.56]
  1 study · 132 participants
  Low

Full-mouth disinfection (FMD): scaling/root planing (subgingival instrumentation) of all quadrants within 24 hours plus adjunctive antiseptic (chlorhexidine) treatments (rinsing, pocket irrigation, tongue/tonsil brushing) vs Quadrant scaling and root planing (control): SRP of each quadrant in separate sessions at least one week apart

Full-mouth disinfection (FMD): scaling/root planing (subgingival… showed no clear difference in change in clinical attachment level (CAL) compared with quadrant scaling and root planing (control): SRP of each quadrant in… (low certainty).

• Full‐mouth treatment modalities (within 24 hours) for periodontitis in adults 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes

  6 to 8 months (SoF); similar at 3 to 4 months
  MD 0.07 [-0.11, 0.24]
  6 studies · 214 participants
  Low

Intervention not reported

• Minimal intervention dentistry for managing carious lesions into dentine in primary teeth: an umbrella review. 2022 All outcomes

  38% SDF vs comparators (NaF/no treatment)
  Mean arrested caries surfaces (count) 2.5-4.5 (38% SDF) vs 1.3-1.8 (comparators)
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Composite resin vs High-viscosity GIC and bulk-fill composite resins

No comparative effect estimate was reported; tabulated failure rates ranged from 0% to 2.9%.

• Clinical effectiveness of restorative materials for the restoration of carious primary teeth without pulp therapy: a… 2022 All outcomes

  1 year · University · Class II
  Annual failure rate (%) HVGIC 2.9%; composite resin 0%; bulk-fill CR1 0%; bulk-fill CR2 0%
  1 study · 30 participants
  GRADE not reported

Prior SDF application with a rinsing step vs No prior SDF application (untreated dentin control)

Prior SDF followed by a rinsing step significantly increases adhesive bond strength to caries-affected dentin (MD -4.79 MPa favoring SDF, 95% CI -9.19 to -0.40; ungraded).

• Bonding of Glass-Ionomer Cement and Adhesives to Silver Diamine Fluoride-treated Dentin: An Updated Systematic Review… 2022 All outcomes

  Immediate bond strength · In vitro (laboratory bond-strength testing) · Caries-affected dentin (with rinsing step)
  MD -4.79 [-9.19, -0.40]
  3 studies · 72 participants
  GRADE not reported

Periodontal treatment: scaling and root planing (SRP) plus advice vs Community care: advice only

• Periodontal therapy for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in people with periodontitis 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 months
  Serum hs-CRP tested at one year; as loss to follow-up was almost 90%, data not considered useful for analysis (no usable estimate).
  1 study · 37 participants
  GRADE not reported

Low parental socioeconomic status (SES) vs High parental socioeconomic status (SES)

No significant difference in caries odds was found between children of low- versus high-SES parents (meta-analysis reported no difference; pooled estimate in an unavailable supplementary figure; not GRADE-rated).

• Maternal and infant risk factors and risk indicators associated with early childhood caries in South Africa: a… 2022 All outcomes

  South Africa
  OR 2.21 [0.41, 11.96]
  3 studies · 1620 participants
  GRADE not reported

Early childhood caries (ECC) vs Caries-free primary dentition

Early childhood caries increases the likelihood of caries in permanent teeth roughly three-fold, but the certainty of evidence is very low (OR 3.22, 95% CI 2.80 to 3.71).

• Does Early Childhood Caries Increase Caries Development among School Children and Adolescents? A Systematic Review and… 2022 All outcomes

  At least 24 months follow-up (3-12 years) · School/community-based cohort studies (USA, China, Norway)
  OR 3.22 [2.80, 3.71]
  3 studies · 5080 participants
  Very low

Antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedure vs placebo or no prophylaxis

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Antibiotic prophylaxis for preventing bacterial endocarditis following dental procedures 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes
  The study did not provide any data on mortality, adverse events requiring hospitalisation, adverse effects of antibiotics or cost implications of treatment.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Single-visit root canal treatment vs Multiple-visit root canal treatment (two or more visits)

• Single versus multiple visits for endodontic treatment of permanent teeth 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes

  1 month
  One study (Dhyani 2022) reported pain at 1 month: 60 teeth (all vital at enrolment, mechanical NiTi), 0 events (no participant reported pain at 1 month); no meta-analysis
  1 study · 60 participants
  GRADE not reported

Honey (Manuka, topical) vs Chlorhexidine rinse (0.2%)

Honey (Manuka, topical) showed no clear difference in presence of dry socket compared with chlorhexidine rinse (0.2%); GRADE not reported.

• Local interventions for the management of alveolar osteitis (dry socket) 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Follow-up: median 7 days
  RR 1.32 [0.41, 4.22]
  1 study · 100 participants
  GRADE not reported

Chlorhexidine gel (0.2%, intrasocket) vs placebo or no treatment

Chlorhexidine gel (0.2%, intrasocket) probably leads to lower presence of dry socket compared with placebo or no treatment (moderate certainty).

• Local interventions for the management of alveolar osteitis (dry socket) 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes

  Follow-up: median 7 days
  OR 0.44 [0.27, 0.71]
  7 studies · 753 participants
  Moderate

Any preprocedural mouth rinse vs Placebo, no rinsing or control

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Preprocedural mouth rinses for preventing transmission of infectious diseases through aerosols in dental healthcare… 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes
  No included study reported cost.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Glass ionomer-based sealant vs No sealant (control/no treatment)

• Sealants for preventing dental caries in primary teeth 2022 · Cochrane All outcomes

  12 months
  Joshi 2019: dmft 8.43 (SD 5.84) with sealant vs 10.05 (SD 6.16) with no sealant at 12 months (caries threshold uncertain); Chadwick 2005: no significant difference in caries increment on occlusal surfaces, no summary…
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Baby-Led Introduction to SolidS (BLISS) vs Other models of complementary feeding

BLISS did not show a statistically significant reduction in overweight/obesity risk at 24 months (low certainty).

• Complementary Feeding Caregivers' Practices and Growth, Risk of Overweight/Obesity, and Other Non-Communicable… 2022 All outcomes

  24 months · Outpatient · BLISS RCTs
  RR 0.15 [0.00, 17.79]
  2 studies · 457 participants
  Low

Intervention not reported

• Association of Food and Nonalcoholic Beverage Marketing With Children and Adolescents' Eating Behaviors and Health: A… 2022 All outcomes

  Vote counting by direction of effect; clear association of public health harm
  Proportion 0.25 [0.013, 0.781]
  4 studies
  GRADE not reported

Glass carbomer vs Resin-modified glass-ionomer cement + composite resin (modified open-sandwich restoration)

No comparative effect estimate was reported; glass carbomer had the highest tabulated failure range.

• Clinical effectiveness of restorative materials for the restoration of carious primary teeth without pulp therapy: a… 2022 All outcomes

  1 year · University · Class II
  Annual failure rate (%) RMGIC 1.9-7.5%; glass carbomer 5.8-46.2%; composite resin 2.1%
  1 study · 50 participants
  GRADE not reported